Flare indicator



Aug 1943- F. F. FISHER ET AL 2,327,254

FLARE INDICATOR Filed Oct. 17, 19 .2

Patented Aug. 17, 1943 FLARE INDICATOR Frederick F.

Fisher, Providence, and CharlesiT. Heilborn, Bristol, R. I. e

Application October 17, 1942, Serial bio. 462,424

' 4 Claims' The present invention relates to the orthopedic art and hasparticular reference to a novel indicator for determining the; propershoe last for a foot.

It is the principal object of our invention to provide an indicator fordetermining the flare of the foot so as to permit selection of thepropershoe last. v v

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable device whichis readily tadjustable to the foot to determine its flare.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view; theinvention constitutes a novel arrangement of parts for a flare indicatormore fully disclosed in the detailed description following, inconjunction with theiaccompanying drawing, "and more specificallydefined in the claims appended thereto. In the drawing, 1 V i Fig, 1isla plan view of the :novelflare indicator; I

Fig. 2-2 of Fig. 1;, V

Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof -on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is adetailed fragmentary view similar Z is a vertical sectionthereof on the line" to Fig. 1, the parts being shown in angular relation; 1

Fig.5 is a section onthe 1ine.5.-5 of Fig. 1;

and

Figs. 6 and '7 are respectivelyperspective views of the pivot and slidebushings. l

The determination of the proper-last for a good shoe-fit depends on theshape of the foot.-

If a centerline be drawn between the centers of the ball portion and theheel portion of a foot, it will be found that a normal foot may bestraight or balanced with respect tothe centerline, or may. extend orflare to 21 greater extent either to the right or to the left of thecenterline; If the foot flare is inward towards the body, an inflarelast is indicated, whereas if the foot flare of a foot may be placed,the ball of the foot then resting on a rotatable support or platformwhich is adjustable to the foot so as to centralize the ball in verticalalignment with the center of the heel. When the foot is so located apointer positioned in the same vertical alignment, discloses whether thefoot requires a straight last, an inflare last or an outfiare last; andthus assists in the proper selection of the shoe.

Referring to the drawing, the novel indicator comprises a heelsectionI!) having a depending skirt H for setting on the floor. The heelsection H] has a heel seat l2 with a back rest 13 and is provided withalongitudinal slot I4 in which a slide member I5 is slidably mounted,the, rela tively sliding parts having cooperating tongue and grooveelements as indicated at I6 in Fig. 5. The upper end of the slide member15 extends transversely oneach side to provide transverse sections i!for receiving a ball plate, hereinafter described, the slide memberbeing adjustably movable. with respect to the heel section II) bysuitable means such as the nut and screw arrangement illustrated in Fig.2. V Inthis arrangement a depending boss l8 has the forwardend of thescrew is rotatably securedthereto, as by means of a lock washer 20, therear end of the screw being received in a threaded bore 2| extendingthrough the rear portion of the depending skirt H, and having a knurledhead22, whereby turning of the knurled headadjustably moves the slide [5in the slot A lock bushing 23 is provided for locking the screw 19 inadjusted position.

Referring now to Figswl and 3, a ball plate 24 is pivotally mounted onthe forward end i! of the slide member l5 between the transversesections, the ball plate being preferably seated in a recess 25,see Fig.2, so as to present a smooth surface to the foot when it is placed inthe device. The connection of the ball plate 24 to the slide memberincludes a depending bushing 25, shown in is outward away from the bodyan outflare last is indicated. Thus, if the centerline when extendedpasses between the second and third toes, counting from the big toe; astraight last is-desirable; if the centerline when extended passesbetween the first and second toes, an outflare last is desirable, and ifthe centerline when extended passes beyond the third toe, an inflarelast is most suitable.

It has been found desirable to accurately determine the flare of a footin order to specify the proper last for a fitted shoe. We have providedan indicatorhaving a heel seat in which the heel perspectivein Fig. 6,having an upwardly extending cylindrical portion 2! which .is internallythreaded to receive a lock screw 28 for locking the bushing to the ballplate 24, the cylindrical portion 21 of the bushing being rotatablyseated in a corresponding opening in the bridge portion 29 of theforward end ll of the slide member, the lower portion of the bushing 26having a. cylindrical transverse bore 30 through which the centralportion of a double transverse screw 3| extends, the parts being lockedtogether by means of end washers 32 and lock pins 33, whereby thebushing 26 and its associated parts readily turn in the forward end ofthe slide member. The double transverse screw 3| has two oppositelydirected threaded portions 34, 35 and a knurled head or the like 36 formanual adjustment, the

threaded portions 34 and 35 being received in ing formed as cylindricalportions 4| which are internally threaded to receive lock screws 42 forswingingly retaining edge members l la and 4% on the ball plate, theedge members having aroufrom the spirit and the scope of the inventionas defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An indicator for determining foot fiare. comprising a heel portion, aslide portion adjustably slidably mounted with respect to said heelportion, a member for receiving the ball of in alignment with thecenters of the heel portion ate faces for accommodation tothe edges ofthe ball portion of the foot. The transverse sections I! are providedWith depending legs or skirts 45, see Fig. 2,01 the same height as theskirt ll of the heel portion, for seating on the floor, and has avertical pointer 46 seeFig. 6, in vertical alignment with the center ofthe ball plate 24 and or the heel portion l3.

The operation of the indicator may now be ex plained. Referring to Fig.'1, the device is placed on the floor in front of a person whole beingfitted for shoes. The heel of the foot is inserted in the heel portionof the device, and the two edge members 44a and 442) are approximatelyset on opposite sides of the ball line of the foot. The length isadjusted by turning the knurled head 22, until the slides 44a and 4% arein proper relation to the ball line, and the lock nut is then tightened.The knurled wheel on the transverse screw is then turned until theslides 44a and 44b touch the ball of the foot at the ends of the ball1ine,the plate 24 swinging for this purpose as indicated in Fig. 4; thedouble acting transverse screw moves both edge members simultaneouslyand equally with respect to the center of the ball plate. The ball lineis thus exactly centered with respect to the heel center, and theposition of the pointer 46 with respect to the toes of the footi-mmediately'discloses whether the foot is straight, or has an infiareor an outfiare, thus determining the type of last which is required forthe particular foot. I

In some instances, it may be desirable to obtain an accurate reading ofthe angular variation of the ball line from a perpendicular to the axialline of the foot. For this purpose, a second indicator similartoindicator 46 and shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, may be mounted on orbe part of the ball plate '24, the swing of this auxiliary indicatorfrom the indicator 4t disclosing the angular deviation of the ball line.7

While we have described a specific constructional embodiment of theinvention, it is obvious that changes in the size, in the shape, in theproportions of the parts, and in the means for setting the length andthe transversely movable edge members may be made to suit therequirements for diiferent indicator designs, without departing and theball receiving member.

2. An indicator for determining foot flare, comprising a heel portion, aslide portion adjustably slidably mounted with respect to said heelportion, means for locking the slide portion in adjusted position,a'member for receiving the ball of the foot, edge members mounted fortransverse adjusting movement thereon, said member being pivotallymounted on said slide portion with the pivot in axial'ali'gnment withthe heel portion center, and means for moving said movable edge memberslaterally on said member while maintaining said edge-'membersequidistant from the pivot, said slide portion having a flare indicatorin alignment with the centers of the heel'portion and the ball receivingmember.

3. An indicator for determining foot flare, comprising a heel portion, aslide portion adjustably slidably mounted with respect to said heelportion, a member for receiving the ball of the foot, edge membersmounted for transverse adjusting movement thereon, said member beingpivotally mounted on said slide portion'with the pivot in axialalignment withthe heel portion center, and means for moving said movableedge members laterally on said member while maintaining said edgemembers equidistant from the pivot,- said edge members being swingable,said slide portion having a flare indicator in alignment with thecenters of the heel portion and the ball receiving member."

a. An indicator for determining foot flare, comprising aheel portion, aslide portion adjustably slidably mounted with respect to said heelportion, means for locking the slide portion in adjusted position, amember for receiving the ball of the foot, edge members mounted fortransverse adjusting movement thereon, said member being pivotallymounted on said slide portion with the pivot in axial alignment with theheelportion center, and means for moving said movable edge memberslaterally on said member while maintaining said edge members equidistantfrom the pivot, said edge members being swingable, said slide portionhaving a flare indicator in alignment with the centers of the heelportion and the ball receiving member.

' FREDERICK F. FISHER. CHARLES T; HEILBORN.

